We describe a practical method for precisely aligning the optical components of a low-cost solar concentrator developed for fiber optic solar lighting applications. A two-stage alignment process, involving both mechanical and optical alignment techniques, is described which allows the tilt, centering, and focal alignment of a large parabolic primary reflector relative to a segmented planar secondary mirror to be accurately determined. The alignment strategy is well suited to optical systems utilizing large reflectors with non-referenced optical axes and non-precision surface characteristics, as is typical of many inexpensive reflectors.

Date Published: 8 January 2004
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 5185, Nonimaging Optics: Maximum Efficiency Light Transfer VII, (8 January 2004); doi: 10.1117/12.508647

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5185:
Nonimaging Optics: Maximum Efficiency Light Transfer VII
Roland Winston, Editor(s)